Nebraska QB Martinez says his left shoulder fine - NBC Sports

Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez (3) carries the ball past Wyoming linebacker Sonny Puletasi, left, and defensive end Eddie Yarbrough, right, in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

September 2, 2013, 3:07 pm

Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez says his left shoulder is fine and that he'll be full strength for this week's game against Southern Mississippi.

Martinez fell on his non-throwing shoulder in the third quarter against Wyoming on Saturday and left Memorial Stadium with an ice pack on it.

Coach Bo Pelini described the injury as a bruise during his Monday news conference.

"We're not going to hit him in practice. We never do," Pelini said. "As far as what he can do, he'll be out there and he'll be fine. It's nothing that will restrict him."

Martinez was injured on the first series of the third quarter when he landed on the shoulder at the end of a run.

Medical personnel attended to him on the sideline after 18th-ranked Nebraska scored, and backup Ron Kellogg III threw a few warm-up passes.

Pelini said he didn't consider pulling Martinez in what turned out to be a surprisingly close game.

"I told him don't take any unnecessary hits," Pelini said.

Martinez said he was plenty sore in the hours after the 37-34 win.

"It was the first time I got hit in eight or nine months," he said. "After this week I should be perfectly fine. I don't get tackled in spring ball or in fall camp. I have to get used to getting hit again and being sore."

Martinez was 17 of 22 for 155 yards and three touchdowns, and he ran 16 times for 80 yards in the Huskers' 37-34 win.

He was intercepted and fumbled on consecutive series in the fourth quarter, and Wyoming converted both turnovers into touchdowns to make it a three-point game.

"I think we weren't very happy with ourselves when we let them come back into the game, and that shouldn't have happened," Martinez said. "Great teams don't let that happen."